BBC TV Licensing

Background

As part of an on-going national media and community relations programme, TV Licensing required a network of leading regional agencies to manage local media and develop relationships with key community contacts, through a series of specific targeted campaigns.

Brief

To work as part of a team of regional agencies to raise the profile of TV Licensing in the Midlands, assist its work in specific areas (such as students, businesses and housing), and, ultimately, to help the organisation reduce the number of evaders, and boost licence sales.

Method

Clarke Associates regularly co-ordinates media relations activity on behalf of TV Licensing in the West Midlands and East Midlands. Senior practitioners act as regional spokesmen, conducting TV and radio interviews, and the agency also runs the Midlands’ press office.

National campaigns are tailored by the agency to suit regional media. Additionally, bespoke campaigns are developed by Clarke Associates for the Midlands’ media, and adopted by the TV Licensing network for use across the UK.

In terms of community relations activity, relationship building with universities and housing associations have been undertaken in order to spread TV Licensing’s messages to usually hard to reach audiences.

Outcome

Since the beginning of the campaign there has been a marked decrease in evasion levels

The press office handles a high volume of calls, either in response to press releases or general press enquiries

A comprehensive stakeholder campaign has been established

“Clarke Associates is consistently a high performing agency, which generates exemplary results on the critical list. For this alone they are to be highly commended. The team’s knowledge of local media is second to none and they are extremely enthusiastic and dedicated about the account. Mark Whitehouse is a very strong team leader whose understanding of the issues and continued creativity will help keep up these levels of success.”